By Chisomo Phiri
A local Malawian startup in the gemstone industry, Yami Gemstone Lab & Exports (YAGLE), has been officially invited to attend the inaugural Africa Start-Up Forum 2025, set to take place in Agadir, Morocco, from July 7 to 10,2025.
The forum, themed’Fostering Innovation, Collaboration, and Growth for Africa’s Future’ will bring together over 1,000 participants from all 54 African countries, including innovators, investors, policymakers, and entrepreneurs shaping the continent’s economic future.
Founded in 2018 by Yamikani Jimusole, YAGLE is the first registered gemstone laboratory in Malawi.
The company specializes in gemstone research, exploration, mining, and most importantly, certification—a service currently lacking in Malawi’s gemstone industry.
Jimusole is one of the few accredited gemologists in both Malawi and Africa, having graduated from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), Thailand campus, in 2017.
He is also the recipient of the 2025 GIA Scholarship in Jewelry Design at the institute’s London campus.
Leveraging his expertise, YAGLE has identified over 25 types of valuable gemstones in Malawi, including rubies, sapphires, aquamarine, tourmaline, grandidierite, spinel, and zircon.
If properly managed, Malawi’s gemstone sector has the potential to generate over $1 billion in annual revenue.
Since 2021,Jimusole has actively advocated for the establishment of proper grading, certification, and gemstone appraisal systems.
At that time, the government had one accredited gemologist in office.
However, in February 2025, the Ministry of Mining imposed a 21-day suspension on gemstone export permits, citing poor valuation systems and the undervaluation of Malawi’s gemstones—issues YAGLE had long raised.
Three months later, the ban remains in place, and the government is still without an accredited gemologist, as the former officer retired in 2024 without resolving the valuation crisis.
“This has vindicated our advocacy.Our innovation lies in gemstone certification.At present, there is no institution in Malawi issuing internationally recognized gemstone reports, which limits access to global markets. We aim to change that by providing transparent, scientific certification to unlock fair trade opportunities for Malawi’s gems,”said Jimusole.
While the gemstone and jewelry industry in Africa is currently valued at approximately $20 billion annually, the global industry exceeds $350 billion.
Jimusole suggests that if certification, beneficiation, and ethical sourcing systems were fully implemented, Africa’s gemstone sector could grow beyond $100 billion, creating jobs and generating substantial foreign exchange across the continent.
Locally, the Export Development Fund (EDF) has been purchasing gemstones since 2023, though it still lacks proper valuation and certification systems.
The newly launched Malawi Mining Investment Company (MAMICO) has also announced plans to venture into gemstone buying and selling.
With growing institutional interest and the government’s ATM strategy (Agriculture, Tourism, and Mining) gaining momentum, Jimusole projects a significant increase in gemstone mining activity.
YAGLE is currently finalizing a critical research project aimed at determining the true market value of Malawi’s gemstones.
Once the government implements a revised valuation framework, the lab plans to certify and appraise its inventory internationally, opening up access to global markets.
Looking ahead, YAGLE plans to launch to the public in 2026, offering gemstone identification reports, internationally recognized appraisals, and ethically mined gemstones from its licensed claims across Malawi.
Post-launch, the company expects to employ over 200 youth and adults—both women and men—boosting local economic empowerment.
As part of its long-term vision, YAGLE plans to establish a state-of-the-art gemstone laboratory and a Gemological and Entrepreneurship Institute, which will serve the African region, providing world-class training, promoting ethical sourcing, and driving innovation in gemstone processing and trade.
To ensure Malawi benefits fully from its gemstone potential,Jimusole stresses the need for significant investment.
“Even with proper grading and certification systems, we must scale up mine production and value addition. Access to financing remains a serious challenge. Without capital and infrastructure, we cannot unlock the sector’s full value,” he said.
Jimusole also urged prospective investors and newcomers to the gemstone industry to seek expert guidance before entering the market, cautioning that the sector’s complexity has led to fraud involving lab-created, treated, or misrepresented gemstones.
“Our lab is fully equipped to detect such practices and ensure our clients deal only in authentic, ethically sourced stones,” he affirmed.
Jimusole expressed his gratitude to the Africa Start-Up Forum organizers for selecting YAGLE to attend the event, stating that the opportunity will help the company connect with global partners and potentially unlock foreign direct investment (FDI) that could transform Malawi’s gemstone economy.
He has received partial sponsorship from the Forum organizers, covering accommodation, meals, and ground transportation in Morocco.
However, he is now appealing to well-wishers, corporate sponsors, and development partners to assist with funding his round-trip airfare—estimated at $2,500—so that Malawi is effectively represented at this premier continental event.
